Peter and Hook
by dreamerdreaming
Summary: Team travel to Pennsylvania to track an un-sub with a gruesome liking for carving obscure messages on his victims backs, while taking their tongues as a souvenir. CharacFocus on Morgan, Reid, Garcia & Austin Set out like:S4xE9.5 CONSTRUCTIVEcritismWANTED


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PETER AND HOOK

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*Disclaimer: I own none of the central characters in this story, aside from the serial killers of course. Oh the extras are all mine – they take home a pay cheque from me baby!

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Southwest Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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A figure stands in the shadows of large dark house... waiting.

Hailey's breath forms mist as she breathes. It's dark. She went to bed about two hours ago. The chill wakes her up. The slim brunette lies in bed waiting for it to drift away. She opens her eyes. The cold makes them sore so she closes them again. She sighs as she rolls onto her side and lifts her tired body up from under her covers. She is greeted by a spasm of goose-bumps as she leaps towards her dressing gown, which lies limply on a chair near the door. She pulls it on and leaves the room, not bothering to switch the light on in the hallway.

Half asleep and yawning, she makes her way downstairs. 'I must have left the window open' she tells herself. She feels sickly - Hunger? Maybe. Maybe a snack or a piece of toast? 'No, I can't let that healthy diet slip'. She yawns again and scratches her feet on the rough carpet in the hallway. She sniffs the icy air. It provokes her to look up and see that the door is ajar. She walks towards it, somewhat disturbed and exhales deeply. She reaches a hand behind the door and looks round. It's frosty outside. It's been snowing. The Goosebumps attack again. 'How did the door open?'

She decides to phone Matthew – he'll check things out, make sure she's safe. She closes the door and the house is deadly quiet. The distant sounds outside now had seemed strangely comforting. She brings a hand to her forehead and rubs at it gently.

"Matthew won't take long. It's okay... you're just being paranoid..."

She walks back towards the kitchen, which is blanketed in darkness. As she enters it she flicks the switch and a burst of light begins to dance in her eyes. Temporarily stunned, when her sight returns she spots the home phone lying on the countertop beside the kettle. The wooden flooring is iced cold as she reaches the countertop. She reaches for the phone and begins to dial Matthew's number.

That's when she feels it. Hot and cold at the same time; the warm, oily, breath, on the back of her neck, followed by their raspy voiced whisper.

"...I clear my conscience—"

Paralyzed by fear she doesn't dare turn around. She closes her eyes in desperation, her breath caught in her throat. Then...she tries to run. She takes that first stride forwards... Hears the 'whip' of something heavy in the air... *WHOOP!* It shatters her right cheek bone; her nose broken; a splinter in her eye. Falling, a sob escapes her lips. It hurts to breathe in and out – the nose and cheeks are swelling now. They swell quickly after such a blow. 'On your hands and knees now, lift those legs' Arms slip under hers and grip her shoulders hard. She struggles, kicks out, lashes... Some bottle lie on the floor now. 'take one' something tells them to. 'Go on matey, do it', and they do. Her eyes widen in panic and horror. A quiet laughter while she's held down.

"–the name of rum for you is death..." they whisper one final time.

She screams, coarse and shrill.

* * *

F.B.I. Behavioural Analysis Unit Headquarters

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"This is Hailey Valentine, aged 26" Jordan let her arm hang in the air for a moment as she points with the projection controller.

A picture of the young women smiles back at the team. She's attractive and much more awake than at the time of her demise. Her long hazel coloured hair reaches down to her waist; green eyes, slim figure, pale complexion, rosy cheeks and happy looking - in that gormless kind of way.

"Last week she was found sexually assaulted and murdered in her own home in Southwest Philadelphia. The house was also burgled. It appears the un-sub came in through the kitchen window, but there's no sign of forced entry."

The team look on, as curious as they always are when a new case pops up. Jordon clicks to two more young women smiling. They share a similar hair colour and figures but all three have different different eye colour and complexions. Agent Todd's monotonous voice is untraceable.

"This is Diana Kael, also 26, and Nicola Gibson, 25 – both women were murdered in the exact same way, and their houses burgled in process, roughly two months apart. Nicola Gibson was murdered just one month ago..."

Morgan listens intently. He hates these kinds of cases, but unfortunately they're one of the teams most common kind. His eyes from the screen to Jordan.

"How come we weren't informed earlier?" he interrupts, looking from Jordon to Hotch.

"There was a mix up at the police departments, and somehow they didn't make the connection between the killings until last week... by which time it was too late and he'd struck again." Jordon sighs ever so slightly, before speaking again. She looks to Prentiss, resting the controller on the table and one hand on her hip. "We were still finishing up a case, and this one was sitting on my desk waiting to be discussed and there's something else I need to tell you, but I'll get to that soon."

The team nod, and sit back waiting to hear more about the case.

"Sorry! Sorry..." interrupts Prentiss as she rushes in through the door. "My cat... an accident... had to rush... vets" she stops to catch her breath, "...was a complete nightmare... but I'm here." She exhales deeply and sits at the end of the table. "Did I miss much?"

"You have a cat?" Garcia asks eagerly, "I had a cat once. But... no, I won't go into that..."

Hotch looks up from studying Hailey's autopsy report, "It's okay Prentiss. If it was an emergency..."

"Oh, it was." Prentiss says.

"Is he okay then?" He looks back at the autopsy report half way through speaking.

Prentiss had been looking to Reid, noticing he was in a daydream. Morgan and Jordan threw her smiles and Rossi sat back in his seat, wearing a pale brown suit and black tie. She realises Hotch was speaking to her.

"Sorry, is who okay sir?"

"Your cat."

"Oh, yes sir. He swallowed something he shouldn't have, but they managed to get it out."

"Good, shall we proceed then." He points to the screen and Jordan continues.

"Diana's body was found face down in her bedroom"

She clicks to Diana's pale naked Corpse lying face down - the picture from an above angle.

"Naked" *click* "Exposed" *click* "Mutilated."

Reid looks away in an instant, which is curiously usual as he is the only one usually desensitised enough to examines the bodies first. Something appears to be carved into the girls back, but it's hard to make out from the various diagonal angles. The girl reminds him somewhat of Austin and that connection doesn't go down well with him. His mind wanders. 'I wonder if I'll be able to see Austin this week... I don't get to practise my magic as often as I like...'

"Reid? You okay?" Morgan asks, showing concern.

"Yeah, I'm fine."

Jordan clicks to another picture of a kitchen. There are pieces of ceramic and plaster littering the floor.

"It seems she was murdered in her kitchen – there was rope" *click* Another image "and a roll of tape..." *click* The tape is thick and grey.

"... any fingerprints? Hair samples?" Morgan questions.

"Nope. Nothing. Whoever the un-sub is they're good at cleaning up after themselves... well, blood anyway. It's indicated the struggle took place in the kitchen because he left smashed vases and plates everywhere. It's possible he did it with no real intent, an un-aggravated rage perhaps?" Jordan explains.

Rossi speaks. "If it's his first time he may not have been able to fully comprehend his actions."

"As post-mortem indicates Diana died around 12:45pm, cause of death was a head trauma and judging from her position post-mortem also determined she'd been dead before she was placed into her unmade bed at around 1-3am..."

She clicks again. This time showing the team a picture of the girls back close up... the carving fully visible.

"...as you can see the killer left her bare back mutilated with what appears to be a quote..."

The quote says: "I'm youth, I'm joy, I'm a little bird..."

"How disturbing" Garcia quips.

*Click* A large picture of Diana's colourless face from the side greets them. There are speckles of blood around her mouth.

"... and... her tongue had been cut out. It was taken.. most likely as a trophy. Blood circulation had already ceased at the time of its cutting proving she was dead by this time." She looks back from the screen to analyse their faces.

The cogs are turning in their minds. Analying. Evaluating. Rossi speaks first.

"The un-sub shows a little mersy... kills her before they mutilate her... it's all for show. The un-sub probably doesn't take pleasure in torturing her... maybe he engages in necrophilia"

"Na-uh, she was only sexually assaulted before the killing, and the same goes for the other girls, all three houses were burgled as well - Things like books, toothbrushes, toiletries, food...

"Toothbrushes..." Garcia muses aloud.

"Nobody heard or saw anything." Jordan continues. "The same goes for Nicola, and more recently Hailey."

Morgan clicks his pen, pulling it down his scarlet sleeve as he looks up from Diana's autopsy report. Three of each girl's are spread out before each of them.

He puts his pen down and speaks.

"Hey, have you guys noticed in the autopsy report – Diana was sexually assaulted with 'a blunt instrument'... not sexually confident enough to actually have sex with her though..."

"...and if there was no sign of forced entry..." Rossi begins.

"How did he assault her 'sexually' with the blunt instrument then?" Reid questions dumbfounded.

"...forced entry into the house... Reid." Rossi replies, a small smile now spread across his lips.

"Oh, ah, of course... jumped in ther... too soon."

His face turns a dark shade of red. Rossi continues with his trademark hand gestures.

"...If there was no forced entry then he must have known her in some way or another, been watching her for some time prior to the murder." Prentiss looks to Hotch, who is still staring at the images on the screen in front of them. She glances through each autopsy, trying to catch up.

"And if he or she is already in the house, why lure the victims to him?" Morgan asks.

"I'm not sure..." Jordan goes to speak again, but Hotch beats her to it.

"The un-sub isn't confident enough to approach them in their bedrooms and we now know he has a sexual inadequacy."

"So, the un-sub goes to great lengths to commit a crime in one particular area, and then move it to another area–" Morgan picks his pen back up and rolls it between his fingers. "...he's just leaving himself with more mess to clean up."

Rossi considers this."OCD? Maybe he has an affliction with bedrooms, but he wants to prove a point of some kind? Maybe that has something to do with his sexual inadequacy. It could even be the key to one of his triggers."

"Here's the strange thing though." Jordan starts in again, "...probably the reason why Detective Q. C. Doug..."

"Oh, what's the Q stand for?" Garcia interrupts.

Everyone but Reid looks round at her, who is focusing on the screen, his eyes squinting. Garcia clears her throat.

"I was just asking."

"Detective Quentin Cooper Doug is working this case, and the reason he probably wasn't able to connect the cases until last week is because..."

She clicks the controller again. A map of Pennsylvania appears on the screen, red lines circling a few select areas spread apart. Two of these areas are a part of Philadelphia.

"...The victims were spread out over a 270 mile radius. Three homes in 13 weeks."

"The un-sub has a job that allows him to travel?" Prentiss asks, looking up from the end of the table.

Morgan answers her.

"A possibility. Perhaps they're a trucker or they install computer programs. Their work therefore allows them to travel. They'd meet the shy-looking, A-sexually-like or sexually under-confident predator type?"

"So the un-sub attacks her in the kitchen, but how does he lure her out of the bedroom?" Morgan sits back in his chair. "How does he lure her out without raising suspicion?"

"Perhaps a pet, a cat meowing?" Prentiss suggests, as Jordon cuts in.

"None of the victims had pets"

Hotch takes his eyes off of the screen, and breathes exhales casually.

"... Something simple, like a draft..."

"That would involve a lot of patience. We know this killer is smart. He left no trace evidence for us. He's patient and meticulous." Rossi took a second look at the screen. "He's clean, patient, meticulous... and he has a sexual inadequacy"

"The un-sub could be female?" suggests Prentiss.

"That's a realistic road to go down." Hotch begins, "The robbing aspects of these crimes seem to focus on more feminine objects, toiletries, books... and the signs of remorse are typical in females. More so than in males, but female on female murders like these aren't usually remorseful...The cutting of the tongue... that could be the thing someone does to someone they think is a snob, those who think they're better than them..." he clears his throat, "...quite reminiscent of 'cutting someone's nose off to spite their face'..."

Everyone grimaces and Morgan sits forwards again.

"Maybe the unsub was one of the victims enemies?"

Jordan cuts in again, "But Morgan, both victims don't seem to be connected, they aren't even within a similar mile radius of each other."

"There could be someone in their past who these women remind them of. Where did they work?" Rossi asks.

Hotch muses on the subject for a moment.

"They both had different careers. Although aside from their age and dark hair, they did have one main thing in common."

"What?" – Morgan, Reid and Prentiss all say at the same time.

"According to these autopsy reports... prior to the murders they were all in perfect shape, extremely fit and a lot healthier than your average twenty something. All three girls must have worked out a lot."

Jordan looks away from the map she's been studying.

"One of them, Diana, played on an independent women's soccer team, and Hailey was a model..."

Prentiss looks from Jordan to Hotch.

"Do you think this might be a defining factor with this un-sub?"

"...Possibly. We need to interview the victims family. Find out more about them, and see if they had anything else in common."

Morgan looks to Reid, while Jordan replaces a slide in the projector.

"Reid, you've been awfully quiet, something on your mind? A certain lady something..." He grins at him from across the table.

Reid looks up.

"Sorry" he murmurs, "...It's J. M. Barrie."

"What?" Morgan says.

Reid looks back at the screen and then to Morgan. Prentiss takes notice of them as Reid speaks.

"'Who and what art thou?' Hook cried huskily. 'I'm youth. I'm joy.' Peter answered at a venture, "I'm a little bird that has broken out of the egg.'"

"Oh the quote... Peter Pan." Morgan digests the information.

"Intrigue." Prentiss quips.

Reid squints at the screen again, studying the surroundings in the picture more thoroughly.

"Maybe the killers trying to tell us who he is" Prentiss says.

"Maybe, but it's hard to place exactly what he's quoting."

"Reid... it's Peter Pan." Morgan raises an eyebrow at him.

"I know Morgan, but what if the un-sub is trying to give us clues in the theatre plays instead of the book or vise versa... "

"...Or the film?" Morgan adds.

"No. Not the film – they cut and re-arranged the dialogue significantly in the Disney 1953 version. In fact it's been considered by Barrie fans..."

"Reid." Rossi interrupts him with a stare of authority.

"...but... yeah, they cut that part." He pauses awkwardly for a moment, "...There was a TV screenplay that used it though." He avoids the glances he receives. "So, erm...which one are they referring to?" He sighs and looks down at the autopsy report again, and then up at the screen with its quote scarred body. "Why didn't you.. reference!?" he moans.

"Reid!" Hotch shoots him a stern look and Garcia bursts out laughing.

"Sorry Hotch... I didn't mean it..." Reid trails off, embarrassed, but annoyed.

Garcia tries to hold her laughter in as Hotch looks her way.

"I'm so, Sorry." She mumbles, wiping the grin off her face.

Hotch sighs and raises both eyebrows, as he turns towards Reid again.

"Well, chances are, he would be referring to the book, but I don't think we should think about it too much until we've analysed all of the other evidence. It will probably answer your question for you."

"This...", Jordan clicks one last picture onto the screen. "...is the message he left on Hailey Valentines back."

Etched between her should blades and her lower back is: "You have heard of this, Flint".

"What does that mean?" Garcia bites her lip.

"Black Beard..." Reid whispers with intrigue, and then he speaks up with curiosity in his voice. "He's quoting treasure Island... 'You have heard of this, flint, I suppose?' 'Heard of him!' cried the squire, 'Heard of him you say! He was the blood thirstiest Buccaneer that ever sailed. Blackbeard was a child to Flint'."

Garcia raises one eyebrow with a twinkle, "You enjoyed that didn't you, sugar?"

"...No."

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"The important thing is to be able to at any moment, sacrifice what we are for what we could become" - Charles Dubois.

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End file.
